11Then Elkanah went back home to Ramah, but the boy Samuel stayed in Shiloh and served the LORD under the priest Eli.

The Sons of Eli

12The sons of Eli were scoundrels. They paid no attention to the LORD13or to the regulations concerning what the priests could demand from the people. Instead, when anyone was offering a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fork. While the meat was still cooking, 14he would stick the fork into the cooking pot, and whatever the fork brought out belonged to the priest. All the Israelites who came to Shiloh to offer sacrifices were treated like this. 15In addition, even before the fat was taken off and burnt, the priest's servant would come and say to the one offering the sacrifice, “Give me some meat for the priest to roast; he won't accept boiled meat from you, only raw meat.”

16If the person answered, “Let us do what is right and burn the fat first; then take what you want,” the priest's servant would say, “No! Give it to me now! If you don't, I will have to take it by force!”

17This sin of the sons of Eli was extremely serious in the LORD's sight, because they treated the offerings to the LORD with such disrespect.

Samuel at Shiloh

18In the meantime the boy Samuel continued to serve the LORD, wearing a sacred linen apron. 19Each year his mother would make a little robe and take it to him when she accompanied her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say to Elkanah, “May the LORD give you other children by this woman to take the place of the one you dedicated to him.”

After that they would go back home.

21The LORD did bless Hannah, and she had three more sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up in the service of the LORD.

Eli and his Sons

22Eli was now very old. He kept hearing about everything his sons were doing to the Israelites and that they were even sleeping with the women who worked at the entrance to the Tent of the LORD's presence. 23So he said to them, “Why are you doing these things? Everybody tells me about the evil you are doing. 24Stop it, my sons! This is an awful thing the people of the LORD are talking about! 25If anyone sins against someone else, God can defend him; but who can defend someone who sins against the LORD?”

But they would not listen to their father, for the LORD had decided to kill them.

26# Lk 2.52 The boy Samuel continued to grow and to gain favour both with the LORD and with people.

The Prophecy against Eli's Family

27A prophet came to Eli with this message from the LORD: “When your ancestor Aaron and his family were slaves of the king of Egypt, I revealed myself to Aaron. 28#Ex 28.1–4; Lev 7.35–36From all the tribes of Israel I chose his family to be my priests, to serve at the altar, to burn the incense, and to wear the ephod#2.28 ephod: See Word List. to consult me. And I gave them the right to keep a share of the sacrifices burnt on the altar. 29Why, then, do you look with greed#2.29 One ancient translation look with greed; Hebrew unclear. at the sacrifices and offerings which I require from my people? Why, Eli, do you honour your sons more than me by letting them fatten themselves on the best parts of all the sacrifices my people offer to me? 30I, the LORD God of Israel, promised in the past that your family and your clan would serve me as priests for all time. But now I say that I won't have it any longer! Instead, I will honour those who honour me, and I will treat with contempt those who despise me. 31Listen, the time is coming when I will kill all the young men in your family and your clan, so that no man in your family will live to be old. 32You will be troubled and look with envy#2.32 Probable text look with envy; Hebrew unclear. on all the blessings I will give to the other people of Israel, but no one in your family will ever again live to old age. 33Yet I will keep one of your descendants alive, and he will serve me as priest. But he#2.33 One ancient translation he; Hebrew you. will become blind and lose all hope, and all your other descendants will die a violent death. 34#1 Sam 4.11When your two sons Hophni and Phinehas both die on the same day, this will show you that everything I have said will come true. 35I will choose a priest who will be faithful to me and do everything I want him to. I will give him descendants, who will always serve in the presence of my chosen king. 36Any of your descendants who survive will have to go to that priest and ask him for money and food, and beg to be allowed to help the priests, in order to have something to eat.”